SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT and Warner/Chappell Music Reach New Licensing Agreement For Music Publishing Rights

Deal Will Accelerate Roll Out Of Wide Range Of Digital Music Products, Including DualDisc, Mobile Music and Digital Video Products

SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT and Warner/Chappell Music today announced that they have reached a new agreement designed to accelerate the roll out of a wide range of digital music products and services.

Products covered under the agreement include DualDisc; mobile music offerings such as master ring tones, and ring back tones; as well as digital video distribution, including the exhibition of music videos in linear programming and video-on-demand (VOD) services, and video downloads.

Multi-session audio discs and "locked" content for hard drives and storage media, which consumers may "unlock" by purchasing the tracks or albums online, are also covered under the new arrangement.

"This agreement reflects our shared commitment to effectively work together in developing new business opportunities and realize the full promise of the digital age," commented Ron Wilcox, Executive Vice President and Chief Business and Legal Affairs Officer, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. "With this arrangement in place, we can accelerate the introduction of a wide range of products and services that deliver value to consumers and build a stronger and more dynamic marketplace for our artists and their music."

In December of 2004, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT announced a similar agreement with EMI Music Publishing.

About SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

Sony BMG Music Entertainment is a global recorded music joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.

About Warner/Chappell Music

Warner/Chappell Music is a global music publisher and holds the rights to more than one million copyrights from more than 65,000 songwriters and composers. The library includes many standard titles that span multiple music genres and has demonstrated the ability to generate consistent revenues over extended periods of time. These range from classics such as "Happy Birthday," "Winter Wonderland," "When a Man Loves a Woman" to the songs of Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin. Warner/Chappell's award winning library also includes contemporary music by artists such as Madonna, Green Day, Don Henley, R.E.M., Van Morrison, John Williams, The Eagles, Dido, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Moby, The Ramones, Timbaland, Barry White, Staind, Fat Joe, and many more. For more information about Warner/Chappell, visit www.warnerchappell.com.

Source: Warner Music Group